Changing Perspectives. Changing Lives.

Lives are being impacted every day. 93% of youth say that having a mentor is important to helping them achieve their goals and make better choices, contributing to brighter futures, better schools and stronger communities. Below you’ll find some of these stories.

Meet The Team

From our staff to our Board of Directors, Big Brothers Big Sisters has a group of compassionate and dedicated individuals on our side who are willing to do whatever it takes to help empower underprivileged youth

Staff

  • Jacob Peterson

    President/CEO

    jacob@bbbs-sac.org

    (916)-218-5424

  • Madeline Lee

    Advancement Officer

    madeline@bbbs-sac.org

    (843)-472-8355

  • Diana Vo

    Program Officer

    diana@bbbs-sac.org

    (916)-674-0545

  • Kaeli Lopez

    Senior Enrollment + Match Support Specialist

    kaeli@bbbs-sac.org

    (916)-314-2980

Board of Directors

  • Leland Washington

    Board Chair / Sacramento District, Attorney's Office

  • Jason Schaff

    Vice Chair / Schroeder Schaff & Low, Inc.

  • Kevin Bender

    Treasurer / Exchange Bank

  • Nereida Yanez-Lenoir

    Secretary / Pacific Coast Building Products

  • Bobby L. Lister III

    Lyons Realty

  • Dan Carlton

    Mark III Construction

  • Stephanie Ganiban

    VSP Vision

  • Forrest A. Vickery

    Sanili Pastore & Hill, Inc.

  • Mike Smith

    KLN Group

  • Heather Vargas

    US Bank

  • Fred Thomas

    Kaiser Permanente

  • Peter Zalkind

    KPMG

  • Shevar Goonewardena

    Clifton Larson Allen LLP

  • Mark Koppang

    Raley’s

  • Chris Kolkey

    Downey Brand LLP

We operate under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life, and we work to develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people. Our one-to-one mentoring program primarily benefits children, ages 7-18, who are being raised by single parents, grandparents or other extended family, and foster families.

Our mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships with trusted adults which ignite the independence and creativity of youth. By partnering with parents/guardians, volunteers, and community members we are accountable for ensuring every child in our program has the opportunity to:

• Set high aspirations, gain greater confidence, and experience being involved in healthy relationships
• Build skills and tools to help avoid risky situations and behaviors
• Receive resources and support to reach their educational goals

Mission & Vision

We match and adapt each mentoring relationship according to the specific needs of the child (Little), and require that each volunteer (Big) commits to a minimum of one year to help in establishing trust and consistency with their Little. We believe that it’s a child’s birthright to succeed. Through the transformative power of mentorship, youth in our program gain confidence, build interpersonal skills, improve their grades, and begin to envision a more successful future for themselves. 

How Our Program Works

BBBS Of The Greater Sacramento Area Demographics

View Demographics

Service Area

Sacramento County, Placer County, Yolo County, Yuba County, San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County, Butte County, Lake County, Sutter County, And Colusa County.

Staff Portraits By: Glynn Thomas Photography